Saturday, 14 September 2013

He won't hear the end of it

A few days ago...on Wednesday I think it was, we had to go to the chemist to get mine and Lauren's passport photos taken. Which, for the record I look atrocious in. Anyway that isn't the point. Whilst I was in the little room where they take the photos I looked up, and saw the Mendor blood glucose meter and another one which I can't remember the name of, gleaming down at me from the top of the shelf.

That reminded me, why don't I ask about why I have to use the meter that I have now. At first mum and I asked the lady behind the counter- but she called "Ian" out, the guy from the back that you hardly ever see, he is the mysterious being who dispenses the bags. Ian came out and so my mum explained to him how much I dislike the blood meter that I have now and he nodded and understood what we were saying. Then we asked him why everyone needs to use it- and his answer? "because it's cheap" My head nearly fell off.

I felt like saying, it shouldn't matter how cheap it is. Blood sugar testing is part of what keeps me alive- so why is there a price limit on it? It's like they can only spend a certain amount of money on my life. It's truly annoying. The other thing that annoyed me was when we asked to see the meters- she came out with the one I already have and when I told her that's the one I have and do not like she said "well it's the only one we do" She's lucky I'm the type of person who holds back what they think in their heads- otherwise she would have heard the biggest lecture of her life. Ian checked to see if they did any others and it turns out they do.

Initially he came strolling out with a box of test strips for my beloved old meter- the Bayer Countour Link. I asked why I don't have that meter anymore and he said it's because they don't do the machine anymore. WHAT. why? Obviously, he didn't know why they don't do it. All in all he claims the doctor isn't allowed to dictate what meter I can and can't use. But apparently he can because I'm still using a meter I don't want to use aren't I? So he put on his glasses and balanced them on the end of his nose as he flicked through a big book- it was like an Argos catalogue for blood sugar meters. He found that they do Accu-check, ok fair enough- their meters are good. Anything but the one I have right now.

Incase you're reading this and wondering what I dislike so much about the meter I have now, I'll tell you why. One reason being, it takes so much blood; it has a nickname throughout the #DOC for being the "vampire meter". Secondly, when I am low trying to fit the strip into the top is the most awkward thing to do especially when my hands are trembling- the strips are an odd shape and fit into the top of the meter in a strange way that I don't particularly favour.

This is how the strips go in, and let me tell you- they don't always go in as they should and then an error comes up and you need to start all over again.

Thirdly, the backlight lasts for the best part of two seconds which makes night testing a real problem. Lastly, it has no alarms or features like my old meter did- the Bayer meter spoke wirelessly to my insulin pump and helped tremendously when I wear my sensor as it would automatically calibrate it every time I did a blood sugar test, it also had alarms on it to remind me to test which I really liked because testing is something I struggle to stay on top of.

Cut a long story short the chemist told us he can order the Accu-check aviva meter I think it was? Yeah that one. But before we can do anything my mum has to ring the GP to see if he will approve of the new strips.

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'Best diabetes art'

My post- Moments, won 'Best diabetes art' for the July 2013 edition of 'Best of the 'Betes Blogs' This is the post: http://elshuckle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/moments.html click the photo to see the other winners.